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Monday, April 20, 2009

World Peace - is it Possible?

Steps to PeaceBy Barbara Henderson

Do you want world peace? (yes no)Do you have a suggestion on exactly how world peace could be obtained? (yes no)Do you have any faith that people standing around holding a sign that says, ‘I declare peace’ will have any effect what so ever in bringing about peace in the world or even in specific areas of population? (yes no)

What would be required to actually bring peace? The first thing that comes to my mind is the sense of entitlement that so many people have. If they see something they want, they are suddenly ‘entitled’ to have it. It doesn’t matter how much someone else deserves it, has earned it, needs it, or anything else. If the ‘entitle minded’ wants it, they suddenly have more rights to it than anyone else.

The most dangerous living with a sense of entitlement are of course world leaders who are quite often professional manipulators. They all believe the ends justify the means, and that THEY are much more worthy of control and possessions than the masses.

Sadly, these people do not know the differences between true peace, and coerced peace. Well, they probably actually do know; they just don’t care. They are entitled to whatever they want. They are not required to care who it hurts.

Honestly, all the world is going to gain from attempts at peace through mortal means is war. They are attempting to bring about peace without consulting God Almighty.

Now, as an individual, no one has the power to ‘declare peace’. To those who have ‘declared peace’ I would like to say, ‘Let me know how that is working out for you.’ For an individual’s efforts to bring peace to the world to have any impact whatsoever, they must first begin in exactly the right place. That place is in their own hearts. They must first make peace with God.

The world as a whole is in rebellion against God. All good things come from God. All those separated from God because of sin have a wicked heart. They will not achieve any real or lasting peace.Isaiah 48:22 says, ‘There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.’Isaiah 57:21 says, ‘There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.’

Those seeking peace apart from God will achieve only the slightest gain; but, they will cry loudly that their achievement is mighty.Jeremiah 6:14 says, ‘They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace’Jeremiah 8:11 says, ‘For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace’.They absolute most they can achieve will be something that appears to be peace, but is like a cement block wall built using sand for mortar. It will fall at the slightest ground shift.Ezekiel 13:10 says, ‘Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:’. No one’s heart will be in a forced peace. Everyone will be looking for an excuse to break the peace.

The only true beginning to global peace is the effort of the individual to personally reconcile with God Almighty through Jesus Christ the Son. Ephesians 2:8 says, ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:’. THAT is where peace REALLY begins. All other efforts are just vain busy work. In case you don’t know, ‘busy work’, is just work that has no actual purpose. Nothing will be accomplished through busy work except people will look busy, and their time will be occupies. An example of vain busy work is what is going on with Israel in the name of peace.

Obviously, there cannot be true global peace until Christ Himself sets up His kingdom. However, the true people of God can look for peace.Psalm 29:11 says, ‘The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.’Isaiah 55:12 says, ‘For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands’.

By the way, there is no way to determine whether someone is really a child of God. Some people can easily be assigned the label of apostate or heretic. Some are very difficult to figure out. Fortunately, the Lord does know who the true believers are.2 Timothy 2:9 says, ‘Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity’.

We are given a clue there as to how to tell true believers. If someone claims to be a Christian, yet does not depart from the things of their old life, then they are suspect. To me, those who take the things of the world such as music and dress into the church are very much suspect. However, I don’t have to ‘know’ who is and who isn’t a Christian. God knows.

The actual door to world peace is through Jesus Christ alone. Any other effort to achieve world peace is will fail miserably.

Once you get it settled that you have made peace with God through Christ, the next step in your own peaceful existence is to live according to the boundaries set down in the Bible.You are not required to take on additional burdens – such as salvation through works, specific dress codes (be moderate and modest), food, socially acceptable requirements, politically correct actions, or anything else not required of you in the Bible.

Peace in your own heart is much easier if you follow Bible instructions such as:Fear notHave faith specifically in God – not the faith that is in nothing but the word faith.Be kind one to another.Forgive others.Love one another.Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Doing these things builds a positive attitude in you. It does not guarantee you your desired outcome in all situations; but, it does help you in just living the life you have today. Job 13:8 says, ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.’

Today is the day to follow the instructions in Isaiah 50:7 which says, ‘For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.’

This means set your heart and mind to follow God at all costs. Follow Him now when the times are easy – or at least ‘easier’ than they may be in the future.

Luke 9:62 says, ‘And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God’. If you have truly chosen to follow Christ, then follow Him. I Kings 18:21 says, 'And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.'

If you are not specifically following God, then you are following Baal - or one of his namesakes.

You know, through salvation the believer gains eternal life in heaven with God. Salvation cannot be lost, but fellowship can be lost or at least tarnished. To keep peace in the heart of the believer, fellowship with God must be maintained.

The path to peace is:First, be saved (reconciled to God)Second, do the things Christ said to do in order to stay in fellowship with HimThird, keep you eyes on your eternal destination; don't be distracted by the things of the world.